Rotary engine



A. J. HENIG AND J. E. TITUS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MA26,1917- 1,382,468. Patented Mar. 2,4920."

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A. LHENIG AND 1. E. mus. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY25. I91?- Patented Mar; 2, 19 20.

F Baie P/il/ H V 7111i $4 0 $61 51 772-01 A. HENIG AND J. E- T|TU$.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. I917.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 3'.

A. J. HENiG AND J. E. TITUS.

I ROTARY ENGINE- APPLICATION FILED mvze. 1911.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

I 0 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A. J. HENIG AND 1. E. mus.

ROTARY ENGiNE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1911.

1,332,468. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

n m n Ill A. J. HENIG AND J. E; THUS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

AFPLICAT IQN FILED MAYZG, I917- Patented Mar. 2,1920;

10 SHEETS-SHEET 6 f WUZwQ/y A. J. HENIG AND J. E. TITUS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1917- :Patentd Mar. 2, 1920.

I 0 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

A. J. HENIG AND J. E. mus;

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLlcAnori FILED MAY 26. 1911.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

- l0 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

fiwanfo rs A. J. HENIG AND J. E. Tnus.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILD MAY26.1917.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

10 SHEETSSHEET 9.

.i-illl ,Bore

I. J]. HENIG AND J. E. TITUS.

- ROTARY ENGINE.

- APPLICATION rHLED MAY 26. 19:7.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

10 SHEETSSHEET 1o.

UNITED STAT" Q ToaZZ fwhom it mag concern:

y App licati Be it known that we, AUGUs'r J. HENIG and. JOHN E..TITUs, both citizens of the nited States, and both residing at Chicago, in the-county ofCook and State of Illinois,

have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements' inliotary Engines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,

,:clear, and exact description of the invention, such as n 'ill enalole others skilled in the art to which t appert ans to make and use they same.

. .1. In its general aspects, our invention. re-

lates' to rotary engines and "aims to provide an, unusually simple and highly eflicient type of reversible engine in which the cut-oft can readily bevaried while the engine is running and in which both the clearance and. the fric- "tion'is reduced to a minimum. As embodied in an internal combustion engine, our inventlon also aims to provide simple and easily adjusted ignition timing means definitely related to the valve mechanism. Our invent'ion also aims to. provide simple means for slmultaneously and proportionally adpistv .ing the cut-off foreach of the respective pis- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a duplex steamengine embodying our invention.

,Fi 2 is a transverse vertical section thron gh onc of the engine shafts, taken in t the plane of the center of the power bore.

Fig, 3 is'a plan view of a gas engine embodying our invention and comprising two power units and a compressor I Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same gas "engines Fig. 5 (Sheet'l) is adet ail showing the method .of controlling one of the exhaustports of the steam orgas engine.

Fig. 6 is elevation of. thecompressor end of the gas engine ot- Figs. 8 and 1. taken from the linejG 6 of Fig. 1.

w ROTARY on of Fetter; Patent. 7 t

ning position.

PATENT OFFICEw lfatented Mar. "1920.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the power unlts of the steam engine of Fig. 1, taken from the line 7-7 I Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the compressor of the gas engine of Figs. 3, 4 and 6, partly insection. s

Fig. 9 is a front elevation. ofthe gas engine, taken from the right hand end of Fig. 4 and partly in section. i

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section through Fig. 8, along the line 10-10. v

Fig. 11 is a face view of the compressor valve of Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail of a pair of the check valves of Fig. 9.

F ig 16 is a sectron at 'the cut-of point and with the cut-off CliSlrS'lliftGd. to provide ashort cut-off, this being the normal. min- Fig. 17 is a similar section withthe parts arranged for starting in reverse direction with a late cut-01f. I

Fig. 18 is a section with the parts arranged for reverse driving as inFig. 17 but taken at the point ofcut-ofi.

Fig. 19 is a section similar to Fig. 18, but with the cut-oil disk set for an early cut-oft".

Fig. 20 is a face'vieiv of the cut-oil? disk.

Fig. 21 is an elevation of one of the gas power units, partly in section, taken from the line 21 of Fig. 4. r

F ig. 22 is a central longitudinal section through the timer of the gas engine.

Fig. 28 is a transverse section through the timer of Fig. 22'.

Fi 2i is an enlarged detail view showing the reversingconnection on the timer.

Fig. 25 is afr'zi'gmentary elevation of the timer shaft and of the bearing for the same. "Fig. 26 is a fragmentary transverse sec tion through the .power bore o ft he engine and-reversing disks of a steam or gas engine.

of Fig. 27- in relation to the inlet port of V a power bore, with the valve adjusted for a short intake, corresponding to an ordinary runnlng pos1t1on. w

a maximum intake and for a neutral or stopping posit on.

Fig. 31 (Sheet 2) is a developed diagram showing the positions of the cut-off, valve unit, taken at point of inlet, with the valves set'for a short cut-off, this diagram being developed from-the line 31 of Fig. 16. j Fig. 32 is a transverse section through the valve casing of Fig.27, taken through the inlet port. j 1

- Fig. 33 is a detail view showing the method of packing the valve drums.

Fig 34 is a detail elevatio-n of one of the facings of the valve pocket of Fig-.33.

F 35 is a perspective View showing the connection between the packing rings for the power bore and the slot in which the piston disk travels.

In the copending application of August J. Henig, filed Jany. 2, 1917 as Serial No. 140070, one of, the applicants has disclosed rotary engineusing acontinuously rotating and peripherally recessed valve disk forfcont rolling the admission of the actuating fluid to the raceway or power bore of the engine. Our present invention, in certain of its aspects, aims to improve on this construction by providing means cooperating with such valve disks for adjusting the cut-off of the actuating fluid and for stopping and reversing the engine, also for simultaneously controlling the cooperating means thus associated with the numerous valves of an engine employing a number'of pistons. For example, Figs. 1 and 2 show a steam engine .ColliPri-Silig two units, each having asingle piston disk 1 carrying two "opposed. pistons 2, which opposed pistons travel continuously in an annular single runway or power boreB formed in the body 4 of one unit of the engine. Each of the said power bores is equipped at points dia metrically opposite the shaft 5 of the engine with-two pairs of exhaust ports 6, each pair being disposed at opposite sides of two transverse passages in the power bore, in each of which passages a valve disk 8rotates continuously. This valve disk has a peripheral portion cut away after the manner of Fig. 13, thereby permitting one' of Figs. 29 and 30 are similar diagrams, showing the parts respectively adjusted for the pistons to pass the disk while the peripheral recess is in alinement with the power bore intercepted by this disk. Each of the exhaustports is normally held closed by a spring (Fig. 5) but arranged to be opened by a cam 27 as hereafter described; that is to say one of each of these pairs of exhaust ports is continuously held open when the engine is to run in one direction, and the other pair when the engine is run in the opposite direction.

Each disk 8 also has a pair of arcuate slots 9 and 10 disposed at unequal distances from the axis of the disk. For the intake of the engine, we provide a pair of inlets 11 and 12 both continuously connected to the supply of steam and connected respec- 'tively to ports in the power bore 3 at 0pof the latter.

\Vhenever the radially outer slot 10 alines with the. inlet 11. and thepassage 13 leadingtherefrom to the bore 3 of the engine,

fluid is admitted to this bore, thereby introducing pressure between the adjacent piston -and the disk 8 for moving the piston forward. Likewise, the inner slot 9 temporarily connects the reverse inlet 12 with the passage 1% for admitting the actuating fluid to thebore 3 for moving the piston in the opposite direction.

To facilitate a reversing of the engine without requiring a separate control for the inlets 11 and 12, we preferably interpose between the valve disk 8 and the casing portions adjacent thereto a reversing disk 17 mounted coaxially with the valve disk 8 and adapted to be rotationally shifted by means of a reversing lever 51 connected to a pinion 33 meshing with teeth on a portion. of the periphery of the disk 17. The latter disk has two ports disposed at difieren-t distances from its axis and out of alinementradially of the disk, and desirably in the shapeofarcs of equal angular extension. as shown in Fig. 20. If the engine is to run in a counter-clockwise direction when viewed as in Fig. 2, this disk 17 is set so that the radially outer port alines with the inlet passage 13 of the engine, while the radially inner port 53 is out of alinement' with the other inlet passage 14:. To reverse the engine, the disk 17 isshifted by means of the level-51 until it brings the; port 5 readily be reversed by merely moving the lever 51 without changing any other connections, or can be-Stopped by moving the disk 17 to the intermediate position in which both of the passages 13 and Li aline with the solid portion of the disk '17 disposed radially between the nearer ends of the arouate slots 52 and 53.

To work the steam expansively with Various loads on the engine, we preferably control the proportion of the piston stroke during which steam is admitted behind the piston, by interposing a cut-off disk 16 between the valve disk 8 and the parts of the casing on the side opposite the reversing disk. This cut-off disk desirably has two arcuate slots of equal angularity disposed at different distances from the axis of the disk (as shown in Figs. 14: to 19) so as to aline respectively with the port 10 and passage 13, and with the port 9 and the passage 14:, thereby enabling this disk to function equally well regardless of the direction in which the engine is operated.

The cut-off member 16 is desirable coaxial with the valve disk 8 and is arranged for manual adjustment, as by a shaft 20 carrying transverse pins intermeshed with teeth on a drum integral with the disk 16 and shown at the right of the latter in Fig. 2. Assuming the reversing disk to be set for forward running, it will be obvious from the drawings that steam will be admitted (as shown by the arrow) from the time when the valve disk is in the position of Fig. 1% and until it passes the position of Fig. 15. Or, if the cutoff disk is shifted in position as in Fig. 16, the cut-off will be hastened, thus shortening the admission of the steam to the power bore. Likewise, with the reversing disk in its other operative position, steam will he admitted from the time the valve disk is in the position of Fig. '17 until it passes that of Fig. 18, or for a shorter period if the cutoff disk'is shifted to the position of Fig. 19. The relative position of the three disks may be seen diagrannnati cally from Fig. 81. it being remembered that only the valve disk moves and that both of the other disks can be shifted in position with respect to the bore wall.

To simplify the controlling of a number of the reversing disks. we preferably shift all of the same by means of a. single lever 51, which may be directly connected to one of these disks as in Fig. 2 and which may be connected to the other disks through any suitable means, such the link chains 54 of Fig. 1. Likewise, we desirably interconnect the shafts 2O controlling the setting of the cut-01f disks associated with the numerous power bore sections of the engine, as

by providing racks 22 meshing with teeth 21 onthe shafts 20, these racks being movedv through a gear segment 23 on a lever 24,

which lever is also connected by gearing and shafts 25 to similarly disposed racks controlling the cut-off disks in other parts of the engine.

For the exhaust of the engine, we preferably provide two exhaust ports 6 for the power bore at opposite sides of each valve disk, using one of the pair. when the engine is running forward and the other when the engine is reversed. Each of these ports is preferably controlled by a springpressed valve .28 (Fig. 5) which normally holds the port closed, but which may be opened by a cam 27 mounted on a shaft also controlled by the link chains or connections between the reversing disks. Thepair of cams 2'7 associated with the ports 6 at opposite sides of each valve disk are angularly out of alineinent with respect to the common shaft carrying the same, so that a rotational shifting of the shaft to open one of the valves 28 will close the other; hence, the movement of the single lever 51 to effect the forward or reverse admission of the steam will simultaneously control the exhaust ports 6 so as to open the proper ones, the active ports 6 being then continuously open so as to permit the previously active steam ahead of each piston to be pushed out by the latter, and so as to exhaust part of tllQJTQYlOHSl) active steam behind each piston as soon as the latter passes the exhaust port.

In applying our invention to internal combustion engines, the adjustable parts may be similarly controlled. as shown in Figs. 3 and l, and the connections from the reversing lever 51 to the various reversing disks can also include connections for reversing the intake and outlet of the compressor shown at the right hand end of Fig. 4. To make the reversing mechanism entirely self-contained and operable by a single lever, we preferably also includemeans for shifting the ignition connections to and from spark plugs 52 disposed respectively at opposite sides of each valve disk. We also preferably provide means for varying the time of ignition automatically according to the position of the cutoff disk. "With these purposes in mind, we desirably fasten a contact lever 34 (Figs. 21 and 24) to the shaft of the pinion which meshes with the reversing disk, so that a shifting of this disk automatically shifts the electrical circuitconnections between contact members 35 and 35 respectively connected electrically to relatively insulated metal rings on the timer shaft 40 (Fig. 22). These rings respectively carry contact pins 39 and 38 (Fig-25) arranged for temporarily closing the ignition circuit respectively through a terminal 36 when the engine is running forward, or a terminal 37 when the-engine is reversed. The shaft 40 of the timer isfast upon the shaft 18 of 1 to the power hore" the. valve disk so as to rotate with the latter, While the terminals 35, 3(5 and 3'? all carried by an insulating shell which is rotationally connected to the cut-oil disk hv a suitahle spline (Fig. 21)

shiftingof this disk will also vary the posi- ,;tion ofthe shell and the parts carried hy "the latter.

compressor hylits own pressure we provide spring-pressed check ralves -1 at the inlets shown in Figs. 2i

and 26.

ive also desirably provide the body ot the engine with spring-pressed inlays 56 hearing against the valve disk and avoiding a. leak a 2'0 alongside the. latter without introducing the friction. which would be involved ll}! having this disk hear throughout its face against adjacent parts. These inlays are desirably at opposite sides of the ports (as in Fig. 30) and aredesirahly supplemented or oil wipers 57. However, While we have pic tured and described the rotary engine of our invention as including disks or rotationally movable members hearing against each other in a direction longitudinal of their shafts. we do not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement here disclosed, since many modifications might be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of our invention. For example, Fig. "22" shows part of a simplified valve. construction for a steam engine, lncluding a rotating disk member 58 disposed between a pair of cut-oft drums the latter-being arranged respectirely for use when running the on nine. forward and backward. Each drum 59 has a peripheral. port adapted to aline with an inlet port of the engine, so as to form an unusually short passage from the inlet pipe (iOto the-power bore in this en'ihodiment the two cut-off drums associate-d respectively with the inlets for the forward and backward runnin of the en ine are se (a a l arately shifted by pinions 31. Fig". 27 also shows these pinions as engaging relatively longer teeth on the drums 59. thereby permitting the self-aiming roller bearings $52 to he. adjusted without disturbing the valve controlling pinions. To pack the. valve drums we also preferably provide inlays 56 as in Fig. while the piston disk is similarly packed by the packing rings 63 shown in Figs. and no of these rings ma y desirably be united to one of the inlay rings tor the drum valve members, as shown in Fig. With this (EOIlStlUClLlOD, it

will be obvious from Fi z that the. length that the of intake Will depend on tho position oi the cut-oil drum 59 with respect to the inlet to the power liore, as graphically shown also'in Figs. 28 29 and 2-30. Other desirable details will appear from Fig. 10, showing the intake and outlet passages on the compressor of the engine intake and outlet checks connecting these passages with the power sore, and Fig. 9 showing a pump having a, plunger 43 onerated by an eccentric strap on an eccentric "which in itself is adjustable. by a lever on the common shaft of the valve disk and the eccentric.

ile claim as our invention:

1. ln an engine, the combination with a casing; hav ng an annular oiston CllrllllbQ-li, and a con ously rotating disk t "ansverse of and intermittently intercept the charnher to form a head therefor; Salfi. element 1) ing; equipped with a perforation Grilling portion oi? the fluid supply passage for said chamber, of adjustahly positioned means adjacent to said element and oooperating with the perforation. in the latter to controlthe admission of fluid to said chamber.

2. An engine as per claim 1, in which the said adjust-ably positioned means include a member having; slot adapted to aline with the. perforation in the rotating? disk during a portion oi each rotation of the latter, the ends of said slot defining the period during" which fluid is admitted to said chamher.

Bin engine as per claim 1, in Which the said adjnstahly positioned means include a membe mounted coaxially w h said rotating disk and having an aronai slot ad apt-ed to aline with the perforation in rotating clement during a- 'iortion of each rotation. of the lad-tor.

4. An engine as per claim 1 in which the said adjustahly positioned means include a member mounted coaxially with the said rotating disk and having an arcuate slot adapted to aline with. the periforation in said rotating disk d rring a portion of each rotation of the latter; iii-combination with means :t'or adjHst-ino' the said rnemhcr about its axis with respect to said disk.

In a rotary engine having an annular piston chamber, a (:(mtinuously rotating disk intermittently and transversely intercept! ing the chamber to divide the latter into stationary sections, the disk having a perforation, and a. fluid supply pas one having; alined sections disposed on opposite sides of the'disk and alininp; with the said perforation duringa part oi each rotation of the disk.

(3. in a. rotary engine. a casino; hating; an annular piston cian'iher a piston traveling continuously in said chaniher, ueri'phcrall recessed and arcuati-zly perforated disks positioned for intermittently and transversely unit, 12 showing the.

intercepting chamber to divide the le 4 M assaaee ter into stationary sections, means connecting the piston'with the disks for. causing the movement of the piston continuously to 1'0- tate the disks, and means for supplying fluid under pressureto the section of the chamber through the arcuate perforations in the respective disk, and means for controlling the fraction of each rotation of the disks during which fluid is supplied through the arcuate perforations therein.

7 In a rotary engine. a casing having an annular piston chamber, a continuously rotating disk intermittently and transversely intercepting the chamber to subdivide the latter, the said disk having a peripheral recess and an arcuate slot out of alinement with the recess radially of the disk, and means for supplying fluid through the said slot to the piston chamber; and means for controlling the time at which the fluid passes through the slot, with respect to the position of the piston.

8. In a rotary engine, a casing having'an annular piston chamber, and a continuously rotating disk intermittently and trans versely intercepting the chamber to subdividethe latter, the disk lltVlllg a peripheral recess and a pair of arcuate slots and means controlled respectively by the said slots for supplying actuating fluid to the piston chamber respectively at opposite sides of the disk.

9; In a rotary engine, a casing having an annular piston chamber, and a continuously rotating disk intermittently intercepting the chamber to subdivide the latter, said disk having a peripheral recess and a pair of arcuate slots both out of alinement with the recess radially of the disk, the arcuate slots being positioned at dillerent distances from the axis of the disk.

10. A rotary engine as per claim 7, in combination with a normally stationary disk having an arcuate slot adapted to aline with the slot in the rotating disk during a portion of each rotation of the latter.

11. A rotary engine as per claim 8, in combination with a normally stationary disk having tWo arcuate slots each adapted to aline with one of the slots in the rotating disk during a portion of every rotation of the latter.

12. A rotary engine as per claim 8, in combination with a normally stationary disk having two arcuate slots substantially in alinement radially of the disk, each of the said slots being adapted to aline with one of the slots in the rotating disk during a portion of every rotation of the latter.

13. A rotary engine as per claim 8. in combination with a normally stationary disk having two arcuate slots substantially in alinement radially of the disk, each of the said slots being adapted to aline with one of the slots in the rotating disk during a portion of every rotation of the latter, the slots in the rotating disk being out oi? alinement with each other radially of the said disk.

1%. An engine as per claim 7, in comb' tion with two elements adjust-ably pe tier respectively at opposite sides of said e1 and equipped with slots adapted to aline with the, said slot in the disk during a portion of each revolution of the latter.

15. In a rotary engine, acasing having an annular piston chamber, a continuously rotating disk intermittently and transversely intercepting the chamber to subdivide the. latter, the disk having a peripheral slot and an arcuate slot, in combination with two elements adjustahly position opposite sides of the said disk and Eqlll with slots adapted to aline with the slot in the disk during a portion or each revolution of the latter, and separate means for adjusting the positions of the said two elements with respect to the said disks.

16. In a rotary engine, a, casing having an annular piston chamber, plui v oi continuously rotating incomplete disks intermittently intercepting the chamber to divide the latter into sections each disk hav- 'ing an arcuate slot adapted to form part of the supply passage for one of said sections, normally stationary control elements adja cent respectively to said disks and each equipped with a slot adapted to aline with the slot in the adjacent disk during part of each revolution of the latter, and common means for adjusting the position of all of the said control elements.

17 In a rotary engine, a casing having an annular piston chamber, a plurality oi continuously rotating incomplete disks intermittently intercepting the chamber to divide the latter into sections, each disk having an arcuate; slot adapted to form part of the supply passage for one of said sections, normally stationary control elements adjacent respectively to said disks and each equipped with a slot adapted to aline with the slot in the adjacent disk during part of each revolution of the latter, said control elements being in pairs disposed respectively at opposite sides of the disks. v v 18. An engine as per claim 17 in combination with common means for respectively adjusting the position of all oil the control elements at one side of the disks, and all of the control elements at the other side of the disks.

19. In an engine, a housing equipped with a pisttin chamber and a fluid supply passage for the same, a continuously rotating member equipped with a perforation intermittently forming part of said passage, a pair of normally stationary and independently adjustable control elements disposed respectively attopposi'te sides of said member and each equipped with a perforation coasting l ssees with the aforesaid perforation in intermittently forming part of the said fluid supply passage.

20. In an engine, a plurality of housings eachdiaving an annular piston chamber and a fluid supply passage for the same, con tinuously rotating members intermittently and transversely intercepting the respective chambers and the fluid supply passages for the latter, control means aociated with the respective rotating-ineinbers for controlling the interception of the respective fluid supply passages by the latter, and common means for varying the position of all of said control means. 1

21. In an engine, a plurality of housings each having a piston chamber and a fluid supply passage for the senile, continuously rotating members intermittently intercepting the respective chambers and the fluid supply passages for the latter, control means arranged in pairs disposed respectiveiy at opposite sides of the rotating members, each pair jointly controlling the intercepting or the respective fluid supply passages by the adjacent rotating member.

22. Engine construction as per claim 21,

in combination with separate means each arranged for simultaneously shifting the position of one each of said pairs of control means.

in an internal combustion engine, a, housing having piston chamber and a fluid supply passage for the same, a continuously rotating member intermittently interceptinq said passage, a control element associatec with said member and equipped with a periteration forming part of the fluid supply passage, ignition means including a timer, and common means for adjusting the position oi the timer and the control element-.-

24L. In a rotary engine, a casing having an annular piston chamber, a continuously rotating disk intermittently intercepting the latter to divide the chamber into compartments, adjustable cut-0 control means associated with said disk, and current supply means connected to said disk and responsive in time to the adjustment of the cut-oil con.- trol means.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois,

AUGUST J. HENIG. JOHN E, TITUS.

iii ay 18th, 

